


Smells Like Teen Angst

by Shade_Penn1



Series: Croft and Son [7]
Category: Devil May Cry, Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkwardness, Family, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 01:16:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18377960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shade_Penn1/pseuds/Shade_Penn1
Summary: (Conclusion to It's Not An Infection and Wolf And Cub)This conversation is either really helpful or really awkward.





	Smells Like Teen Angst

Last night was, in every sense of the word, disorienting. Lara's head still ached well beyond getting a meager amount of sleep during the night. If she still had a job with the museum, Lara was no doubt sure she'd be on probation for 'thieves stealing the valuable artifact'. It was the explanation she gave to the police, after she procured a payphone and first called a driver and her private doctor to show up and take care of her shoulder. It still ached, stitches tight in her skin.

It wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as avoiding looking anywhere but at Dante as he and Lady skulked around the background, seeming to be checking for anymore of those monsters. Nero avoided talking to the police alltogether, instead hiding away inside the car, holding his arm. More than the shock of the attack and seeing Dante, was when the latter tried taking the katana and Nero's demonic arm glowed, the sword seeming to disappear into it, though the arm hadn't stopped glowing for some reason.

That was when Lara decided the night was done, and they could all talk at the manor the next day, with no one overhearing their undoubtedly awkward conversation. Rather than reply, Dante gave Nero a long look, before Lady shoved him to the pummeled door, and she helped pull Lara back to her feet.

It worried her, how quiet Nero was on the way home, but she chalked most of it up to exhaustion, or shock. Lara couldn't deny that she wasn't feeling much of the same. Nero escaped the questions Sam had for them when they got home, by dashing off to bed, leaving Lara to recount the harrowing event.

And even now, after getting through the morning and cleaning her stitches, she couldn't shake the thought something was wrong. Something Dante said, which only caught up with her now that her head was marginally clear.  _Was_. Perhaps he misspoke though.

Sighing, Lara checked the time, and made her way to Nero's room. She knocked before entering, but frowned when she found him still in bed and buried under the covers. Lara brushed the white hair peeking out, and he shifted. "Nero, you'd better get dressed. Dante and Lady will be here soon to give us some answers."

Nero was silent for a moment, before he finally said, "I don't want to see him - them." he said quickly, stumbling over it. "You're paying them a lot of money, aren't you? I'm sure for that amount they'll tell you everything. I don't need to be there."

Lara furrowed her brow. She thought he was quiet last night due to the attack, but there was something more to the words.  _Him_. Lara closed her eyes, because she realized what the problem might be. "Is it because he looks like your father, or because he's probably all you'll ever see of him now?" Nero stiffened up. "I didn't miss how Dante spoke of him in the past tense either."

"...I...I don't care." Nero muttered, but his muscles tensed up. "I'm just not interested in meeting someone who I'm probably not gonna see again anyway."

Lara scrutinized him, but decided not to push. If she made Nero sit with them, talk and interact with someone he clearly didn't want to see, he might resent her for it. Perhaps all he needed was time to sort this out himself. "Alright then," she said softly, "but if you change your mind, we'll be downstairs."

"...fine." Nero mumbled, and buried his head under his pillow.

Lara closed the door on her way out, and her steps were heavy as she made her way down the stairs. Sam met her in the foyer, pushing her sunglasses up to rest on her hairline. "You got the money from the bank." she stated, observing the briefcase the woman was carrying.

Sam nodded. "Went through a lot of security checks for this much. Am I late?"

"No, they should be arriving soon though." Lara replied. She noticed Sam glancing beyond her, to the empty space and guessed what she was thinking. "Nero feels that...it would be best not to meet his uncle."

Sam grimaced. "I can imagine why. They really identical twins?" she asked. Lara nodded, and the other woman furrowed her brow, worry in her eyes. "What about you? How do you feel about meeting him?"

"I did see him last night." Lara said mildly, but not even that lightened her mood. "It's...going to be a bit difficult, I'll admit, but I just need to focus on the differences, not any similarities." With that, they made their way into the tea room, and Winston soon came in with a tray. "Thank you."

Winston nodded, and the butler said, "Your guests have arrived, shall I escort them in, Ms. Croft?"

"Yes, please." Lara said, and the older man took his leave. Lara poured herself a cup, and breathed in deep. She couldn't believe how nervous she found herself. She glanced up when Winston came back in, and noticed that Dante and Lady were unarmed. Not surprising, given this was only a civil conversation.

Lady took the chair next to them, while Dante sat on the couch, crossing one leg over the other before propping it on the coffee table, and leaning his elbow over the arm of the couch. He looked around, whistling. "Fancy place you got here. A butler and everything. Half expecting to see a tiger rather than a house cat."

Lady glowered at him. "Dante, didn't you pay any attention to what I said before we came here? Get your foot off the table!"

Lara exchanged a look with Sam, who raised both brows. Lara was suddenly finding herself very relieved. No, she couldn't see that man in this Dante. "I wouldn't want to waste your time, so I think I'll keep the introductions brief." She gestured to the woman beside her. "This is Samantha Nishimura. She's Nero's godmother."

"Hello." Sam said, and hefted the briefcase up. "This is the amount for the job, provided you have the information we need."

Dante flourished his hands to himself. "What, the fact I don't look exactly like the kid's dad not enough?" Lady glared at him, but he ignored it as he glanced around. "Speaking of which, where is the kid?"

"He...wasn't feeling well." Lara replied quickly. "Now, what I first and foremost need to know is - and forgive me for being so blunt - what is Nero, exactly? What are  _you_  for that matter?" she asked Dante.

The man in red tilted his head back slightly, regarding her for a moment. "You ever hear the legend about Sparda?" he asked.

Lara stared at him, brows knitted together. Beside her, Sam straightened up, surprise flashing on her face. "You mean it's actually true?" she asked, before catching Lara's confused stare. "Well, supposedly, the human world and demon world were connected, before a demon named Sparda used his power to separate the two worlds."

Lara knew she shouldn't have been surprised Sam came across this information. "What does this have to do with anything though?"

"Sparda was my old man." Dante said bluntly. Lara's head whipped around to stare at him again. "He had a human wife, my mom, and they had me and Vergil. We're half-demons, got all sorts of strength and nifty healing - so we're hard to kill." Something too quick to identify passed over his face. "Or at least, I am." he muttered, before he smirked at Lara. "So by that, your kid's probably just a little bit demonic. Enough to get that freaky looking arm of his."

Lara's brow ticked, lips twitching into a frown. She glanced at Lady. "Is he always like this?" she asked, but the woman was staring at Dante with what seemed to be surprise.

Before anyone could answer her, Dante got to his feet. "You know, I forgot to take a leak before we came over. Where's your toilet?"

"Dante." Lady growled, lips curling in disgust.

Lara sighed. "Down the hall." she said, and the man left, waving his hand over his shoulder. She sipped on her tea. "So, Lady, how did you and Dante hear about this?"

Lady glared after Dante a moment longer, before she picked up a tea cup. "Dante's agent actually heard about it, that you were looking for information about a white-haired man with blue eyes. A bit vague, but well, you've seen Dante, not hard to think you meant him."

Lara flushed a little. Yes, she could imagine not many people would fit that description under at least 50, and even more those with natural white hair. "Why wasn't I informed the job had been taken?"

Lady was quiet a moment too long. "Dante...didn't really want to take it." she admitted. "At least not at first. You see, he hasn't really...been himself for a while. In fact, this is the most animated I've seen him. I think seeing your son with the Yamato really cemented for him that Nero is his nephew."

Sam, who had been sipping on her own tea, choked. She coughed, gasping for air. "The Yamato? Are you saying that the swords are real too?"

Lara blinked. "Okay, you've lost me again."

"A sword used to seal the demon world away." Lady explained. "Sparda had his own named after him, but he had two others; Rebellion is Dante's, and Yamato was...Vergil's." She paused for a moment, and seemed reluctant to add anything, before saying, "It's the sword Nero's arm absorbed last night."

Lara's grip went slack. The cup and dish crashed to her feet, breaking on the floor. Her eyes were wide. Her mind was in a whirl; the sword- the katana- belonged to Nero's father? She inhaled deeply. "I think...I would like to know how it came to be found broken on Mallet Island."

Lady glanced away, staring down into her tea. "Sure. I wasn't there, mind you, but I'll tell you what I know."

* * *

Nero tried not to move as the door opened, but he frowned as his arm began glowing again. Curious despite himself, he glanced out under his pillow. Then wished he hadn't and scowled. "What are you doing in here, old man?"

"Was looking for the can, and decided to check around the place." Dante replied casually.

Nero sneered back into his pillow, refusing to look at him again. "If you're lost I'm sure Winston can show you where it is. Or better yet, he can show you the door."

"You know, your mom said you were sick, but I think all you got is a bad attitude." Dante said, and Nero could only picture a smirk on his face he wanted to punch off. "Seriously, kid, I smelled your moodiness from downstairs; all you're missing is Linkin' Park, an edgy hair-cut, and you'd be the poster boy for teen angst."

Nero's temper flared, demon claws scratching into his mattress as he fought the urge to glare at him. "Like you're one to talk - last night you showed up in cowboy boots and chaps!" he retorted. When there was no immediate response, Nero felt his mouth curl into a smirk. "Let me guess, you're wearing them right now."

"It's not a bad look, you little punk." Dante grumbled. There was a shuffling of boots on the floor, and a rustling of something being sifted through. "You got all these video games and you're still in bed feeling sorry for yourself."

Nero scowled. "Don't touch my stuff, old man."

Dante chuckled mockingly. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Nero's eyes blazed red. "SHUT UP!" he roared, and whipped his pillow at Dante. It caught the man on the shoulder, bouncing off harmlessly. Nero found himself glaring at him, before squeezing his eyes shut, and turned his glare to the floor. "Get out."

From the periphery, Dante only crossed his arms. "Is that any way to treat your long-lost uncle?"

Nero scowled again. "You think you can come in here and pretend we're best buds? You're only here because my mom wanted info on my father. Once you get paid, I doubt I'll ever see you again."

Dante seemed to stare at him for a moment, before he startled Nero by sitting on the floor. He wasn't facing Nero anymore, instead turning on the television and picking out a game. "You can project your daddy issues all you want, but don't give some lame excuse about it being me you got a problem with."

Nero's hand clenched, wishing he had another pillow to throw at the back of Dante's head. Or something heavier. "I don't care about my father. I never have!"

"Then why did you look away from me?" Dante retorted. "Afraid of what you'll see?"

Nero went silent. The only noise in the room being the quiet hum of the console. Nero glanced briefly at his demonic arm, then to the pictures on his book shelf. His mother, Sam, and him. He was happy, with them. They were enough, he didn't need a father, but...

"It's stupid," he muttered, "but when I was elementary school, the other kids would ask about where my dad was, why it was always Mom or Sam who got me. When I was old enough to know what a bastard was, it was either that, or my hair kid's talked crap about. So, my father just became something to mean everything wrong in my life, and this arm...doesn't exactly help." he clenched his demonic hand.

"And now you don't even get the chance to sock your old man in the face for it all, is that it?" Dante asked. He didn't sound condemning, he seemed almost curious.

Nero still narrowed his eyes, before replying cautiously, "Yeah. I just feel bad about everything my mom must have went through. Even with Sam to help, it couldn't have been easy raising me."

Dante was silent this time, before he chuckled again, without any mockery this time. "You know, my brother would have sooner burned his poetry book than admit he didn't have any flaws. You got that going for you, kid. Although, my brother might not have gone crazy if he knew your mom was nobility - title and everything; Vergil always thought he was better than everybody else, probably would have stayed just to get the chance to literally lord himself over us peasants."

Nero was sure he was being mocked now. "Your names really are Dante and Vergil?"

Dante snorted. "Yeah. Now, are you going to help me kill some zombies or not?" he asked, holding out the extra controller.

Nero stared at offering, before forcing himself to glance up into the man's face. Older, white hair in his face, blue eyes so like his own. Nero swallowed, before he realized he saw nothing now but the rude jerk who thought busting into his room unannounced was a good family bonding activity. Nero smirked. "You even know how to play? I think this console is a bit beyond you." he retorted, snatching up the controller.

Dante's brows knitted, mouth curled into a half-grin, half-scowl. "Oh, it's on now, kid."

Nero was sure things weren't so easily fixed over a game of zombie-slaying, but he felt the edge he'd built up throughout the years soften a little. Dante was a doof, immature, and a giant jerk - but he wasn't trying to be his father.

And that was just what he needed right now.

* * *

Lara rubbed her brow. The information was a lot to absorb, about Vergil and all that transpired with him. She wondered how much she'd be able to tell Nero. He'd asked about his father only once, but she could never be sure if his assurance he didn't care about his sire was true, or just for her benefit. This was going to be a lot to tell a child, even if Nero was edging toward 14 soon.

"Wow, you dodged a bullet with that one." Was all Sam could say. Perhaps a bit delirious from the pain in her shoulder, Lara laughed.

"Whoa, was the tea spiked with alcohol? What's with all the laughing?" Lara quieted herself as Dante came back in.

Lady stood and marched up to him, pointing a finger in his face. "Where the hell did you go? You left me here to explain everything  _your_  psychotic brother did -" she stopped herself when Nero came around the corner into the room.

Lara smiled though, and got up to hug him. He grumbled but didn't push her away. "How are you feeling?"

"It's okay, the old man knew I wasn't sick." Nero explained. "He came to talk to me - we played some video games, he lost - alot." he smirked. Lara raised a brow, but Lady elbowed Dante in the ribs, scowling at him.

"I can't believe you were slacking off while I did all the work." she muttered.

"Hey, kid and I had like - a heart-to-heart or whatever. Point is, I still get half of the cut." Dante retorted.

"Well, I'm glad you had fun?" Lara asked Nero, who shrugged.

"I guess he's alright, you know, for an old man."

Before Dante could retaliate, Sam came up and held out the briefcase. He accepted it with a grin. "I'm buying so much pizza with this." he chuckled.

"Not with my cut you aren't!" Lady snapped. She chased after Dante as they made for the front door.

Nero's expression went pensive, before calling out, "Hey Dante!" and the white-haired man stopped. Lady skidded to a halt, seeming just as confused. "Will we meet again?"

Dante's only response was a two-fingered salute over his shoulder on his way out the door. Lady rolled her eyes, muttering, "Show off" before going after him.

Lara gazed down at Nero, tilting her head. "About what you heard, before Lady stopped herself-"

"It's okay." Nero cut her off. His expression conflicted, but only for a moment. It cleared with resolve. "I'm okay. Whatever she told you, I'm not like him."

Lara leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "I never thought you would be." she said sincerely, and he glanced away bashfully, before he huffed as he glared over his shoulder at the door.

"The old man though better have been serious about being an uncle - I'm not waiting a decade just to beat him at a video game." he grumbled, but it turned into a grunt when Sam wrapped her arm around his shoulder, colliding with him.

"Now that the heavy stuff is out of the way, anyone up for brunch? I don't know about you, but I'm starving right now."

Nero grinned, and used his other hand to grab Lara's, tugging her along with them down the hall. "Yeah, that sounds great."

**Author's Note:**

> So, the timeline is DMC 3, 1, anime, and 2. 
> 
> Dante's personality was a bit hard to pin down, because I wanted it to show that finding out about Nero didn't _automatically_ change him back to being lighter, but didn't leave him _un_ affected either.


End file.
